Combined hay raking and loading machine



(No Model.) Y Y 4Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. A. KELLER.

COMBINED HAY RAKING AND LOADING MACHINE. No. 581,735. Patented May'4,1897.

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ATTORNEY.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 2.

M. A. KELLER. COMBINED HAY RAKING AND LOADING MACHINE.

No. 581,735. Patented May 4, 1897.

ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

M. A. KELLER. COMBINED HAY RAKING AND LOADING MACHINE. No. 581,735.

' HA/HW Patented May 4, 1897.

WIM/8858.' 5. 5. @ZV'WM Q 27% M. MLM

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

MA.KELLER. COMBINED HAY RAKING AND LOADING MACHINE. No. 581,735.

Patented May 4,1897.

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MOSES A. KELLER, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCCORMICK I'IARVESTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COWlBlNED HAY RAKING AND LOADING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,735, dated May 4, 1897. Application led March 11, 1895. Serial No. 541,334. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, MOSES A. KELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Batavia, in the county of Genesee and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Hay Rakin g and Loading Machine, of which the following is a speciiication.

My improvement relates to hay raking and 1o loading machines in which a series of reciproeating orossrakes at the forward side of the machine rake the hay crosswise of the line of advance of the machine into a windrow at the center of the machine. In practice two series of rakes-that is, one on each side of the machine-are preferably employed. In the annexed drawings, however, but one set of these cross-rakes is shown, as it has been thought that this one set was all that was necessary to zo show the invention.

Theimprovementfurther relates to the construction and arrangement of the raking and elevating mechanism in order to successfully gather the windrow that has been delivered to the center of the machine by the side series of rakes and to the elevation of this windrow to such a height as to allow it to drop upon the wagon.

There are various other detail improve- 3o ments shown in the drawings which will be described in the specification, all of which make up the combinations shown in the machine.

Figure 1 is a rear view of the machine as it 3 5 would appear when ready for operation, the dotted lines showing the series of side rakes raised to the side of the elevator and out of action on the hay. Fig. 2 isa front view of the machine as it would appear when ready 4o for operation. Fig. 3 is a side View at the left of the machine, showing the machine coupled to a wagon and ready for its work. In dotted lines the extension to the elevator is shown at its highest position for elevating the hay onto a high load. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the raking and elevating mechanism, taken from the left hand. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the machine with the elevator-frame removed; and Figs. 6 to 1G, inclusive, are de- 5o tailed views of parts of the machine.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A denotes the main framework of the machine, 'B the driving-wheels, and C the main axle, which is journaled onto the frame and on which the driving-wheels are placed. The main frame A is rectangular in form and can be made of iron or wood, though in the drawings it is shown made of wood. The pole F is bolted to this frame and 6o is stayed by the diagonal side braces A3. At the front end of the machine, preferably on the pole F, is a caster-wheel G, and its arm is journaled in the casting 7L, so that the wheel G can turn freely in any direction. There is a clevis S) secured at the end of the pole F, by which the machine is drawn and by which it is conveniently hooked to the wagon. A convenient way of making the attachment to the wagon is shown in Fig. 3, where a special 7o hook .l0 has been attached to the wagon. This hook is formed so as to be easily hooked into the clevis 9.

The elevator-frame proper is composed of the side pieces D, posts f, and bottom E2, which parts are bolted onto the main frame A, so that the side pieces D and the bottom E2 incline upward and forward at an angle of about forty-live degrees. The posts fsupport the front of these inclined parts upon 8o the framework of the machine. The upper end of the elevator-frame is preferably eX- tended far enough so that at an angle of fortyive degrees it will be about ten feet from the ground. There is, however, an extension about four feet long hingedto thisl elevator at its upper end. This extension has been found necessary in order to elevate the hay to the top of the highest loads that it maybe desired to load. This feature, however, is 9o shown in another pending application of mine, filed February 6, 1895, Serial No. 537,535.

In order that the hinged extension E can be easily raised and lowered and securely looked in position and that it maybe done by the loaders upon the wagon, two springs X have been provided, one on each side of the elevator-frame, which springs have a pin zo eX- tending from them and which project through the board E to catch into the holes o in the 10o side boards ofthe elevator when the extension is'raised to its normal position. To disengage the pins from the hole V when it is desired to lower the extension, a cam-rod K2 has been provided, which is journaled on the pins w, as is shown more particularly in Figs. l5 and 16, and is positioned between the 4boardsE and the springs X. It is plain that when the arms which control these cams are swung back and forth the cam-part b2 will force the spring X out, and thereby withdraw the pins from the holes n, and the extension E can be dropped. Vhen the cam is turned in the other direction, the pins w, pressed by the spring X, will enter the hole i1 whenever the extension E has been raised toits normal position. The cam-arms K2, which are joined by a connecting-rod, are then pushed into the notches a2, formed in the side boards of the elevator, and form a support for the extension -E,as shown in Fig. 3. This makes a simple and practical means for securing the 4extension and one that can be operated from vthe Wagon. The hinged extension when lowered, as sho-wn in Fig. 3, allows the hay to -drop from the elevating-rakes more quickly than it would if the hay must be carried to the top of the extension, and thus prevents its bein-g scattered by the wind, as it would Vbe Ain the long distance it has to drop to the lwagon at the time the load is first started.

There are four hangers r vsecured to the sides D'of the elevator-frame, and in these arejjournaled two crank-shafts R and S, as shown Ymore particularly in Fig. l, and to `these crank-shafts a series of toothed'elevatin g-bars Pare j Ourn aled, on the upper crankshaft Rby means of a slotted bearing 2 and .on the lower .crank-shaft S by means of a series of bell-cranks A. These bell-cranks A 'are 'journaled neartheir centers to the lower crank-shaft "S, their lower ends being pivoted to the bars P at a and their upper ends being connected to rods ci, which in turn are hinged at p to a stationary cross-piece Y, that is yirmly fixed vto the frame of the machine by brackets A chain O, by means of sprockets, connects and drives the upper crankshaft R from the lower crank-shaft S. The bars P .are -provided at their lower ends with adjustable rake-heads N, which can be adjusted 1.up and down the rake-bars P by loos- -ening the screw q and sliding them beneath the plates 'm and n. These rake-heads N are preferably made from a single bar of round steel or pipe in the form shown in Fig. l2 of the drawings.

There are, coiled onto their extensions, which project at right angles to the bar P, raking-teeth'l, that project from the bar P, thus forming a rake. By means of the adjustment of the rake-head N these rakes can be .quickly vmoved up and down the bar P, so as to be set closer to or farther from the ground, as the condition of the crop may necessitate. A chain-wheel T is secured to the crank-shaft S and receives power, by means of the chain U, from the forward advance of the machine. Because of the arrangement of the bell-crank motion at the lower ends of the bars P and the sliding rotary motion at the upper ends of the bars the rake-heads are caused to have a long raking sweep over the ground, as shown by the dotted oval lines c c in Figs. 3 and 4. As an example of what certain strokes will do, it may be remarked that an eight-inch stroke will give the rake-head a stroke over the ground in a straight line that is three feet long. By this arrangement of motion to the bars P every inch of the ground is raked by a slow motion, and consequently the draft of the machine is lessened and its wear and the strain upon its parts are greatly reduced. By means of the two cranks the machine has a greater capacity to elevate the hay than it would have were the rakebars reciprocated direct by asingle crank at their lower ends and it does the work with much less power. In machines in which the upper ends of the elevating-bars move on slides and the elevating-rines u'areentirely disengaged from the hay on the return stroke of the bars P the elevating-tines aggressively forward vthe hay on their upward `strokeand press it down and slide Yupon it on their Vreturn stroke. The hay therefore becomes somewhat `packed under the elevating-bars,

and as it is forced on by the hay that comes from the lower part of the machine a great compaction results, causing the machine to run very hard, and Vwhen the hay is very dry and brittle it is badly broken and'damaged. Another result of this compaction of the hay at the upper end of the delivery-bars when they have a sliding motion is that the hayiaccumulates in bunches and isfonly discharged when the bunch has received such an impacting motion from the hay below as to start it over the delivery end of the carrier. The loaders upon the wagon can take vCareof a continuous swath that is reasonably heavy, but when it comes in large masses it is "Very troublesome. The system of the double cranks obviates these troubles.

In Lorder for a hay-loader to be practically operative, it must not only be capable of'taking up the hay from the swath, but it must also have a capacity to take up the hayfrom the windrow. The hay-loaders now upon the market, raking, as they do, but six Vor seven feet and being unable, as many of them are, to take the hay from the windrow, a long distance must be traveled in hay of medium growth in order toget a load. In soft meadows the wagon with its load is all thatate'am can draw, and when the hay-loader is attached behind it the work becomes excessively heavy for the team when continued overa long distance. A toothed elevating-cylinder M is journaled at the lower end Vof the elevatorframe and for practical operation positioned about twelve inches from the ground and is rotated in the same direction as the elevating-bars P are moved. This cylinder catches IOO IIO

the hay that has been raked forward and lifts it by the rake-bars P and the teeth u upon these bars and starts it up the elevator of the machine. By this arrangement the heaviest of windrows can be elevated, while by the long sweeping rake motion of the rakes on the lower ends of the bars P the ground will be thoroughly raked and there will be no necessity of again going over it with a horse hayrake.

The construction so far described will, as explained, not only take the hay from the swath, but also from the windrow. A series of reciprocating cross-rakes has been provided, as shown in the drawings, positioned at the forward side of the machine to rake the hay from the side of the machine into the sweep of the elevating devices in order to save the expense of a man and team raking the hay into a windrow with an ordinaryT hay-rake and in order to save the long distances over whiehthe hay-loader would have to be drawn in order to accumulate a load did .it only gather a swath of the width of the elevating part. In the drawings there has been shown but a single series of side rakes, but in the practical operation of the machine a second series upon the other side could be positioned, and when the crop was so heavy that the men on the wagon could not take care of all the hay that would be gathered by the two series of reciprocating rakes one of them could be thrown out of action by elevating it to the side of the machine. ln light grass the loaders can take care of a sixteen-foot swath, while when the grass is heavier the loaders upon the wagon cannot take care of so much.

Theconstruction of the series of reciprocating cross-rakes is as follows, viz: A crankshaft K is journaled on the main frame at right angles to the main axle C and is provided with a bevel-pinion 15, which meshes with a bevel-wheel (5, that is keyed to a short shaft 11, that is also journaled upon the frame of the machine parallel with and just in front of the main axle, as shown clearly in Fig. 5. There is also keyed upon this short shaft 11 a spur-pinion 12, that meshes with the spurwheel lV, that is rigidly positioned upon the main axle C of the machine. Power is in this way communicated to the crank-shaft K. A long rectangular frame l-I H is journaled about the crankshaft K and is extended to one side of the machine in front of the main driving-wheel of the machine, and its outer end is supported on a caster-wheel L and is also Vstayed by a movable brace Q, connected to a sleeve V, that is positioned on the end of the main axle C of the machine. Near the outer end of this frame Il is journaled a second crank-shaft J, having cranks at different angles, the angles of which cranks correspond with the angles of the cranks upon the shaft K. Rakebars l are journaled on these cranks, and the power transmitted to the shaft K by the forward advance of the machine causes the shaft to revolve and the bars l to reciprocate and to rise and fall in parallel paths as they are reciprocated back and forth. These bars are provided with a series of yielding rake-teeth j, which engage the hay on the ground and move it toward the center of the machine and into the path of the elevating` devices. These reciprocating rakes have a rapid motion, and there are a sufhcient number of rakebars, so that the teeth of one of the bars are almost constantly on the ground and in contact with the hay, so they will do a clean job of raking, transporting the hay from the side of the machine into the center. The teeth upon these recip'n rocatin g bars are heldin position by two plates and k3, the latter oi which is provided with a projection la and the hole 16, as more clearly shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 13, and 14. The coil 17 of the tooth is'slipped onto the projection 14 and its bent end 18 placed in the hole 16. The cap-plate 7c is then slipped onto the part 14, and by the bolt 19 the plates are secured to the bar I. The ledge 13 of the plate 7c holds the hook end 1S of the coil in its place. The coil 17 of the tooth will allow the tooth to yield when the progress of the machine brings it into collision with a rigid obstruction, and the breakage ol the parts is thus prevented. The method of mounting the teeth, as described, between the two plates 7c and 7a3, as is more clearly shown in Figs. 13 and 14, allows the tooth to be quickly replaced should it by any means become broken.

In transporting the machine on the road o1' through narrow gateways and over narrow bridges thc cross-rakes can be folded to the side of the machine, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. A hooked rod Z at the side of the elevatonframe is provided for the purpose of sustaining the reciprocating side rakes in their elevated position. As heretofore eX plained, this elevation of one of the series of side rakes may be found necessary when the crop is too heavy to be readily taken care of by the loaders on the wagon.

The machine is thrown into and out of gear by the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism on the main axle C, (shown in Fig. 5 as b', and located at the inside of the driving-wheels.) Power is communicated to the elevating-bars from the sprocket-wheel 4t and the short shaft 11. The chain U transmits power from this sprocket-wheel to the sprocket-wheel T, as has been heretofore explained. The cylinder N receives its motion from the main axle C through the sprocket-wheel and chain d CZ, and in practice it has been found that the cylinder can run quite slowly about two turns to one turn of the driving-wheels. The tines t of this cylinder are curved back, so they will shed the hay as the cylinder is rotated and not cause it to be carried and wrapped about the cylinder.

The construction of the machine having been fully described and its operation pointed out, what l desire to claim and protect by Letn ters Patent is- ICO IIO

zang-lies or 1nearljyrso to the longitudinal piane y fof the isa-id maimaxe, gears :connecting said cranked Shait with Lthe :axle whereby power lis communicated to saidicrankedshat,asnp- ,piementaflramejournaledabon t-'sai'd-.Jcnan lied -sha't and 'extending fantherztothecsideo'f the machinen'in rontfof athe vd11iv'ing-Wlheels 'and havingitsonter end supported Aon :a @aster- 4Wheel, and braced :to v'the fmain-Wheel-axle, a v

seicond cualtked .shaft j onrnaled on said `snp- ;plemellta fnazme near its .outer end, J'and `a fsees' Tof toothed bal's jonr-naled fon 'fsa'fid fcraiuked shaits adapted vtoengage :the hay von the ground andiconneyitfon awindnowator meer fthe icentemofthezmachine1in @the 'pathfo'f j the dead-int, ele-water.

'vator-frrame, of two nevolubie crrank'efdfshafts, fone-beingonrnaled onfsa'id'frame nearitheup- :per end and 4the-other mear the .lower-:end of said iranlea-seniesiof .toothed combined rrakl ying and eievatin'gbalfshavingtheirnpper-ends `vljourn aieddirentlyo n nhe flippericrankedshaft have :an'indepiend'ent flonggitudifnalrmovement -ionsaid 'jo.1u na1's, and 'their lower ends jonrnaled on beTILCPan-ks'which arie jonvnaied Von vthe cranks otheIoWer crankedshafmand the ntenm ediateicounections with thenpper ends of the .aboli-:cranks and a Stationary snppont, 'whereby said fbe'ii-cranksare caused to rock as the `'scrwafnked `shaft 'revolves and :canse 'fthe lower ends of the making-'bars tto have a long 'sweeping or making motion .over1the:g1ro1ind, substantially asshoWn and described.

13. yiin combination inafhay-iloader,rreciproacating 'e1evating-;bars, each provided lat its iower fend with frakeheads, ra series of rak-v ing-times each in afrowftransverse to `the Tak-- tingmoti'on :of fthe elevating-:bars ,attached to the Yrake-head's, yand means .oradjnsting the rake-heads on the elevating-bars.

v4:. In combination in 4a .haydoaderfthe :maachille-fname lsupported upon :an aile fpos'i- 'ti'oned 'neaifthe center of Ithe fnanIe,iacaS`ter- `Wiheel i at1theforWa11d end lof the'lfvramefaetp- Apie-men tal framelhingred to the .ima-in namefbetween the caster-Wheel fand 'the safxie, :an feievatoreflzame connected Ato the rearend of the machine-frame vand extending forW-andiyand 'upwardly over the Jfranne, vvecipnoica'tinjg ele- Vating-bars positioned on the elevator-frame, rrake-heads:connected to fthe llowerendsfof the elevating-bars, andmeans fonadjinstingit'h ese Bake-.heads *on the bars, asnbstantieliy as :and for 4the fpm-pose fsp'ecied. 1

:5. rThe adjiustablerake-heads of .the elevat- Vin,fg-1barsfmadeof la Singlefpieceofmoundmetai inthe fonmshoWmhavi-ngeach t-Wo'shortfarms Vpiroj'ecting 'at Tight angles to V'its vmain body, and rhavingsaidaifms :pi-'ovlided with 'yielding makingetinesfsnbstantiailyf'as:andiorfthe'pm'- :pose :specified "6. ".Dhe combinationWiththe'eewatoifiirame fand thehingedext'en'sion ,sof Ithe.cam-rod j omvnaled ion :the lookin g-pins fand lfoperat-ng iin conjinrnction `with :the io'clning-splinjgs of :said pins, :said pins being adaptz-Lfd to engage la hoie orfcatch that Tis in @the elevator-"iframe, 'Whelebyfiihe lsai'd 'fhin ged extension iis 'locked when "in its extended 1p ositiomfand supported 'by the cam-Tod, =When iinits ilowered 'position substantially as shown and described.

7. The -jcom'binaftonwith the -I-ecipi'oca'ting lbars-.of thefclross-iralies, :of the teethipl-ates k3, having 'the -pin 1M, the raking-tooth fco'il'edfon said vpin and :itsendsecured `into thehole 16, thecappmte K, :ttingontherpin Mfandhav- .ingf'the proj ectinfgliedge Ti'3,toho1dffhehoohed Aend '1180i the tooth j nlits gplacefand fthebolt I9, to secu-pe the Y.plates to 'the Yba'r 8. The .combination `of `the reciprocating bars, Land the removable tee lh-'plates -7c1and 7c3, vof the Taking-tooth, j, having the `coil d'7, with .the hooked end, 218, for :the jp nrposes-set folth.

f M. AA. KELLER. Witnesses:

M. 1E. KELLER, I. M. KELLER. 

